University of Wisconsin System President Ray Cross today has announced the new UW System Diversity Council, which is an advisory body to the President on critical issues of diversity and inclusion affecting educational achievement, workforce development, and the future of Wisconsin’s economy. The Council includes business and community leaders from across the state.
“The Council’s connections to our communities will be key in helping our state prepare for an increasingly global world that values diversity and inclusion in the workplace,” Cross said in a statement. “I look forward to working with the Council to better connect the UW System with communities statewide.”
On May 10, President Cross convened the inaugural meeting of his Diversity Council in Madison, where he thanked members for their participation and service on the advisory group. Three important themes emerged during the conversation: education, employment, and health. President Cross and the Council agreed that the next step is to develop a plan with specific ideas and action items based upon input from the Council members.
New UW System Diversity Council members from Madison include:
◆ Jessica Cavazos, executive director of the Latino Chamber of Commerce of Dane County
◆ Shenita Brokenburr, Senior Associate Vice President of the UW System
◆ Asifa Quraishi-Landes, associate professor at the University of Wisconsin Law School
◆ John Sims, Private Banking Relationship Manager at U.S. Bank
◆ Jaimes Johnson, director of community partnerships at UW Credit Union
Other members from around the state of Wisconsin of the new UW System Diversity Council include:
◆ Cecil Adams, CEO and founder of the African American Mutual Assistance Network, Inc. in La Crosse,
◆ Craig Anderson, president of the American Indian Chamber of Commerce of Wisconsin,
◆ Rep. Jason Fields of the Wisconsin State Assembly and State Representative for the 11th District,
◆ Timothy Mahone, president of Mahone Strategies in Kenosha.
◆ Rev. Tony Patterson, chair of Marathon County Diversity Affairs Commission in Wausau
◆ Corey Hoskins, vice president of UW-Parkside Student Government in Kenosha,
◆ Paula Penebaker, President and CEO ofYWCA Southeast Wisconsin in Milwaukee
◆ Gerard Randall, executive director of Milwaukee Education Partnership in Milwaukee
Toni Rivera-Joachin, president and CEO of the Council for the Spanish Speaking, Inc. in Milwaukee
◆ Sabrina Robins, Director-Operations of TAPFIN, a ManpowerGroup Company in Appleton
◆ Rep. Jessie Rodriguez of the Wisconsin State Assembly and Majority Caucus Secretary from Franklin
◆ Dennis Shields, chancellor of UW-Platteville
◆ May yer Thao, executive director of Hmong Wisconsin Chamber of Commerce in Milwaukee
◆ Manny Vasquez, vice president of Pfefferle Companies, Inc. in Appleton
◆ Bee Yang, executive director of Hmong American Partnership Fox Valley, Inc. in Neenah
